Checkwriters employing multiple platens for printing both individual amounts and the signature of the payee are known. Apparatus of this type generally employ an inking ribbon for inking the printing characters and/or signature plates or platens. Machines are also known for imprinting the MICR (Magnetic Ink Character Recognition) encoding data on individual items or documents such as checks. However, all of the foregoing are limited as to efficiency and/or ease and speed of operation in one regard or another. For example, those checkwriters or signers which are operated electrically or semi-automatically are relatively slow and usually are hand fed. If the MICR encoding data is required to be changed it must be altered by hand. None of the known machines or apparatus operate at relatively high speed and many suffer due to degraded printing which results from the form of print character type used therewith.
Also, in known machines, since the printing area is fixed, variations in document length or size necessitate operator intervention and machine adjustment in order to print the desired signature at the required location on the document, if such location varies from the fixed standard. This usually requires that the printing plate be moved and also the platen which is employed therewith, or that the control stop for the document be positionally altered at the time of manufacture so as to change the location of the signature impression on the document.
Consecutive item MICR number imprinting at the present time can only be performed on a high speed printing press and even then it requires costly and time consuming alteration and adjustment of the apparatus.
The present invention solves the foregoing problems in a unique, novel, unobvious and heretofore unknown manner. The apparatus of the present invention produces high speed signature imprinting and/or dating at any desired location within a wide range of locations by means of an adjustable item stop member which can be adjustably positioned as desired. The stop member is automatically interposed in the pathway of the incoming document to positively stop the document at a precise predetermined location after which a printing impression is automatically accomplished. The document stop is thereafter retracted automatically out of the path of movement of the document permitting the document to be fed into an output or receiving hopper.
Means is provided in the present apparatus for causing the platen or back up anvil against which the signature and/or date plates engage to make a substantially flat or planar contact throughout the entire surface area thereof effective to produce printing comparable to that attained with a typical high speed printing press.
Pressure overload relief means is provided to accommodate multiple documents or documents of varying thickness and/or weight effectively preventing equipment jamming or motor stall due to excessive loading.
The novel features which are believed to be characteristic of this invention are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its organization and method of operation, together with further objects and advantages thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.